The Night Before Christmas
by KaikioChan
Summary: Christmas in the Elric house is a cheerful occation, but it's the night before that always seems to be the most eventful. Oneshot, slight EdWin, AlCat, OC kids and The Night Before Christimas. Reviews are appreciated!


"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,  
Not a creature was stirring, not even a…."

"Dinosaur!"

"Erm…. Ok, not even a dinosaur…." Ed chucked, and turned the page. The two boys on his lap stared early at the next page. "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…" The older boy, Allen, giggled at this.

"Wayern's not gonna get any gifts this year – he spilt Kitty's water dish all over the floor this morning!"  
The younger brother pouted. "It wasn't my fault! It was heavy!" At this Allen stuck out his tongue.

"Hey you two, calm down." Edward sighed as the two small boys wiggled this way and that, digging their tiny rears into his legs. He gave the 4-year old Allen a gentle smack behind the head. "You – be nice or you won't get squat this year." Wayern giggled. "And you – calm down and mind your own business or I'll never get on with this story."

Across the living room on a recliner sat Winry, curled up in a blanket and looking amused at the exchange between her husband and two sons.

"Having fun there, Ed?"

Edward rolled his eyes and turned the page. He continued to read. "The children were nestled all snug in their beds; Hey stop wiggling, Al; while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads." Ed gave the kids a sneaky look. "Hear that? _Nestled in their beds._ You two should be in bed about now." He looked at Winry. "Don't you agree?"

Winry laughed as both of the children's small faces changed to horror. "That's true…. Wayern, you're only 4, it's much too late for a boy your age to stay up."

Allen looked over at his mother nervously. "Bu….bu….but I'm **5**; I can stay up longer right?" Wayern looked at his brother, shocked at his betrayal.

Ed chucked and turned the page. "I'm just kidding. Now sit still so I can finish this, ok? There's a lot more to go." At that comment both boys sat still on their fathers lap.

"And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,  
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,  
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,  
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter…."

"It was the boogie-man!" screamed Allen, raising his little arms above his head. Wayern chuckled and did the same, wiggling his fingers and making little ghost noises. Ed rolled his eyes. Winry covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

"C'mon, you two; settle down. I'm sure your father doesn't appreciate being interrupted all the time." Ed sent her a grateful glance as the boys settled down, snuggling up to their father. He continued.

"Away to the window I flew like a flash,  
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.  
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow  
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,  
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,  
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,  
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,  
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick…."

"…Or Santa Claus – depending on how you look at it…" whispered Wayern, earning a _shhh _from his mother.

"More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,  
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name…."

""Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!" The two boys cut in, chanting happily with their high-pitched voices, hands waving in the air,  
"On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!  
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!  
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

Then they collapsed in a fit of giggles and snorts, while Ed looked at them in surprise. Winry laughed. "I let them watch "The Night Before Christmas" on television once while you were at work; they wanted me to rewind to that part over and over again. Guess they know it by heart…."

Ed smiled and waited until their giggles died down. He flipped the page. "Not bad. Guess I don't have to read anymore, right?" The boys shook their heads.

"No! Please keep reading, daddy!" cried Wayern. After the boys promised not to interrupt anymore Ed continued to read.

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,  
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,  
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,  
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.  
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof  
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.  
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,  
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.  
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,  
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;  
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,  
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack"

"Those are _my _toys…" Allen whispered, then remembering his previous promise covered his mouth with his hand. Ed tried to hide a smile.

"His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!  
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!  
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,  
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;  
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,  
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;  
He had a broad face and a little round belly,  
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly…"

This earned a snort from Allen, and before long both boys were collapsed on Ed laughing hard. Ed sighed and looked at Winry. She gave him a smile.

"They really appreciate this, you know. I mean, they might be interrupting a lot but…." She shrugged. Ed smiled and looked down at the boys on his lap, trying their hardest to keep quiet. They were still holding back laughs when Ed started again.

"He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,  
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;  
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,  
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;  
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,  
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,  
And laying his finger aside of his nose,  
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;  
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,  
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.  
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight…. "

"_Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!" _cried the boys, literally jumping up on Ed's legs. Ed grabbed each boy and pulled him down before they could fall off. They laughed and snuggled up on their father.

"Thanks Daddy!"

"Thank you!"

Suddenly there was a _THUNK _behind the couch. Four pairs of eyes turned around to see Alphonse lying on the ground in a bright red suit, a cat licking it's back paws at his feet.

"Dangit, Kitty, why do you always sit there…?" he grumbled, pulling himself up, only to be toppled over again by two excited toddlers.

"Santa!"

"Santy Clause!"

Ed laughed as his brother tried to wiggle out from underneath the two boys. He had a plush red Santa suit on, complete with the long hat, but he had forgotten to put on the beard and give himself the famous pillow belly.

"Santa? Where's your beard?" asked Wayern, arms wrapped around his uncles neck.

"Um…." Al thought for a second. "Well… um…... Mrs. Clause was tired of having to kiss a man who always had a wet beard – you know, full of milk and cookies." He imitated Santa's jolly laugh. "But don't worry; it will grow back, just as bushy and full as before!"

"Why aren't you fat?"

Alphones coughed, scrambling to find an excuse. "Um… yo…you see, um…." He looked at Ed for help.

Edward gave him a mischievous smile. "Ya, _Santa, _where's your belly, that shakes like jelly?"

The boys giggled and climbed up on Al's back. Al gave his brother a dirty look then smiled brightly at the boys. "Well, you see, I'm never actually fat _before _I make my rounds on Christmas Eve; it's the cookies and milk from every little boy and girl that make me gain weight!" Ed rolled his eyes. Al chuckled and tapped the boys on their noses. "Then it takes me almost a _year _to work it all off. Santa has to go to gym too, you know!"

The boys smiled happily and started asking "Santa" question: Did he have to wash the reindeer himself or did his elves do that? Did he ever shop at the mall after letting kids sit on his lap and make wishes? How old was he and why didn't he have any wrinkles like in the storybook? Alphonse answered as best he could, and Edward couldn't help be amazed how gullible kids were at that age. He was a little jealous too; what he wouldn't give to be young and innocent like that again.

After about half an hour on Santa's lap, Winry and Edward gathered up their son's and carried them off to bed. Allen yawned tiredly and Wayern's eyes were already closed by the time they reached their bedroom.

"Good night, Allen" Ed whispered after giving his eldest son a kiss on the forehead. Allen mumbled something that might have been "g'night daddy". Ed chucked softly and kissed Wayern goodnight as well, the younger boy already fast asleep. He closed the door behind him and his wife and they made their way down the stairs.

"You want to leave out the cookies tonight or should I?" asked Winry, as they made their way into the kitchen. Ed chucked.

"Depends. Can I eat them too afterwards?" Winry gave him a playful nudge.

"You little bottomless pit. Always thinking with your stomach." Ed stopped her under the mistletoe and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Not always…" he whispered, earning a soft giggle from her. He stepped forward to close the distance between them…..

_THUNK _

Ed fell with the grace of a rock, banging his head against the door frame. Winry rushed to his side and checked his skull. "Holy crap Ed, you ok?" She glanced at the doorframe. "Oh geeze you dented the wall…"

Ed looked over his shoulder and found Alphonse's cat by his feet, casually licking its tail clean and looking at him with bored eyes.

"Al! Come get your fricken' cat!"

"Santa's back! Santa's back!" Ed and Winry turned to see the boys rushing down the stairs, stopping halfway to peer over the railing curiously. "I heard a thunk; has Santa delivered our presents yet?" Allen asked.

Edward only sighed, then got up and brushed off his jeans. He scooped up the boys and tried to convince them that; no, Santa didn't come yet and that he won't be coming if they didn't go to bed _now. _Allen looked up at his daddy with big eyes.

"Can we hear a story before going to sleep first? It _is _Christmas, after all."


End file.
